He was awarded a prize for the best speciality sausage at the event in Birmingham last week.

Tony Checketts, whose family have run a butchers' shop in Ombersley, Worcestershire, since 1902, was awarded first price for best breakfast sausage.

Along with brother Phil, Mr Checketts makes the Boreley pork sausage in his shop every week to an old local recipe.

He said: "We use great lean meat from nearby farms, add a touch of black pepper and let the flavour speak for itself. We're so pleased to have won for the village and our county and are really proud."

Judges, who included Birmingham-born farmer Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, Britain's only black farmer, also voted for their number one Heart of England apple juice - single Cox variety. Jus, of Glebe Farm, Ledbury, Here-fordshire, was crowned the winner with Clive's Fruit Farm, of Upton-upon-Severn, awarded second prize.

Alix Hay of Heart of England Fine Foods, which organised the competition, said: "Over 70 varieties entered this year's competition and the standard just gets better and better."